I work with a Vietnam Vet, who, the other day, told me it was okay not to be able to do the things I’ve been doing for years. I think my friend’s being a vet is important, because if he could survive that, his advice seemed to carry a little more clout.

You know the kinds of things we used to do, but cannot do as well now. Removing all the snow from around your house in blizzard conditions, clearing all the neighbors walkways, and generally being Mr. Good Guy of the neighborhood are at the top of my list.

I do not know exactly what it was, but during all these heroics during our recent Blizzard of 2013, something happened to my left foot. I think it might have been taking a Mt. Everest mountain climbing step onto a huge snow pile, or not drinking enough fluids at work.

Either way, my left big toe joint — that is the metatarsophalangeal, or MTP joint really became inflamed. My gait changed, because I had to stay off my left foot. I went into my doctor, and took a cane. Mr doctor thought I might have gout, and tried to get fluid out of the joint with a needle, not a pleasant experience. Good news, there was no fluid, so gout was unlikely. It’s probably tendonitis, he said. We will see.

I have not been in my thirties for years, but I still feel that way. I am not willing to surrender, at least not yet. But, is it wise to let the older me provide some navigational advice? Will he keep me off the large ice mountain, and make sure I drink my fluids? We’ll see.

One response to “Who’s Navigating In There?”

I sometimes listen to that inner voice that yells “are you crazy?” when I start to climb a ladder and sometimes I ignore the voice and fall on my butt. I’m a slow learner when it comes to the aging process.